Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1887-06-16
PHILOSC2HIAN SOCIETY.
A Largely Attended Meeting in
The Institute.

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school life of the young men students
of that institution. This society has
been the means of developing many
talents in the young men that perhaps
otherwise would have laid dormant
and never have been brought out
The public as a rule have but one
chance of seeing for themselves just
how much the talents of the young
men have been developed, and that is
at the end of the school year at the
closing public meeting Of the term.
And that our people are anxious to at
tend is made plainly manifest from the
fact that the spacious school has not
by any means sufficient seating or
standing capacity for. those who desire
admission. Saturday night people
came early to secure the most desir-
able seats, but at eight o'clock the seat
ing capacity of the room was taken,
and many persons were standing in
the halls at the rear of the room, being
compelled to be satisfied with what
could be heard from that position.
AS usual the young men had pre-
pared fine program for the occasion,
and the manner in which every part
was rendered showed how we'll they
can do a thing when it is desired.
1t was about eight o'clock when the
Ingelow Society followed by the mem
bers of the Philosophian Society came
in and took the seats which had
been reserved especially for them.
Then a few more moments were
consumed in the seating of the audience
who were standing, and President
Isaac Hankins arose and announced
the first on the program, a piano
quartette, ''Grand Valu," from Schulz
hoff, by Misses Naudain, Campbell,
Laning, and Rynick. Every note as
played by the four pairs of hands
sounded with the utmost precision.
A liberal shower Of applause followed
the production. Then s. j. Shoom-
hoff took the platform and ably de-
claimed 1.-The Deacon's Courtship" in
a manner that with the selection was
irresistably funny. I. S. Hankins
called fellow member of the society
to the chair and himself read a selection
from Carlyle entitled "Signs of The
Times" The article was pleasing
but proved rather lengthy, Chinese
Immigration" was the subject of a
well written essay by H. G. Mclean,
and the manner in which the subject
was treated by the young student,
showed how carefully his essay had
been prepared. He received we'll mer
ted applause.
J. p. Holloway then favored the
large audience with beautiful vocal
solo entitled THE Trooper" and the
brilliant effort Of the young man was
followed by round upon round of ap-
plause. Part second was opened with
out delay by an grafton, ''On The
Threshold" by c. X. Newell. The
oration was replete with witticisms,
both sexes were remembered in his
talk. He forgave the fair members of
the Ingelow for all they had ever done
to the members of the Philosophian
Society. He said that the members
of the society had been as kind to the
ladies as they knew how. and as soon
as they stood on the threshold he
would have to say farewell. He paid
ahigh tribute to the management of
the school, and to Mr.. and Mrs. Trask.
i. s. Hankins, in that splendid bass
voice of his, sang with effect that pretty
solo, "Song of the Blacksmith, and
was joined in with chorus. The next
upon the program was the regular de-
bate, the question being, "Resolred,
That home rule for Ireland is better
than the present system" The affirm
ative debater was T. P. Holloway, and
that gentleman used strong argument
in favor of his side of the question.
Each point made by him was perfectly
clear and made an impression upon
the judges that his opponent, Mr.. s.
Cobb, found ithard to refute, although
he made many telling points which
were caught by the audience and the
debater was often interrupted by ap-
plause. The judges, Lieut.. Smiley, c.
X. Newell and VIM. Wansley, finally
decided after considerable considera-
ton, that the merits of the debate
should be awarded to the affirmative
debater.
The members of the Ingelow and
Philosophian societies then sang a
beautiful chorus, after which the
President made closing address in
which he told of the value to the
scholar of a debating society and hoped
that those who were to come back
next year would do all that was posi-
BILE to keep the society upon it's feet.
He then said, II now declare the Phi
losOphian Society of 1887 adiOurned.n -